What to Know About Volleyball Carry?

The violation has a number of different names, including a carry, catch, lift or throw, but it is the responsibility of the referee to determine whether or not the ball handler has come in contact the ball for too long. Some referees allow a little more leeway when calling the violation on younger players, the rules for a carry are spelled out in the official rules of the game.
Step 1
Make sure that the ball bounces off the hands; During a proper set, the ball should touch the fingers only momentarily. According to the FIVB Rules of the Game, the ball is a catch if it does not rebound from the contact, meaning that it bounces off the fingers and/or hands. This rule also applies to passes and hits, as well as sets.
Step 2
Determine whether or not the ball was hit with an open hand. If the palm is facing upward and not in a closed fist, a lift or carry should be called if the ball strikes the hand.
Step 3
Check for backspin on the ball. If the player makes too much contact on the ball, more than likely backspin will be created on the ball. Allow no rotation or forward rotation on a set, pass or hit -- backspin is an indicator to the referee that a carry has been committed.

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Posted in: Volleyball

How to Stay Focused in Volleyball?

Participants in competitive sports typically spend hours preparing for competition and practicing their skills. A key aspect of athletic success is mental preparation, something less easy to learn or practice. In a close-quarters, fast-paced game such as volleyball, concentration is critical and can affect the outcome of a match.
THE MENTAL GAME
According to Dr. Alan Goldberg, a noted sports psychology and training consultant, "playing to your potential is all about how well you can execute mentally." This is particularly critical in volleyball, which he describes as "too fast a game to play well unless your concentration is in the right place when it counts the most." During his training sessions with college volleyball and other athletic teams, he stresses that the mental game is what makes the difference between regular teams and champions.
STAYING FOCUSED
When watching a volleyball game or other sporting event, you may notice certain times when a player is visibly concentrating on her actions. Serving is one of these times. A player focuses on the ball in her hand; she may perform various preparatory moves, such as bouncing the ball a specified number of times; and she follows the ball with her eyes as she raises it up and serves it over the net. Concentrating for these specific activities or time periods is readily understood as a requirement for performing them successfully. Maintaining that same level of concentration throughout the game is more difficult.
VISUALIZATION TECHNIQUES
One concentration technique many volleyball players employ is visualizing each facet of the game, beyond the initial serve. The player will stare intently at the ball in her hand; she may perform a specific mannerism, such as bouncing the ball a fixed number of times; and she will follow the ball with her eyes as she lifts it up and serves it over the net. She maintains this concentration by remaining totally focused on the ball, its trajectory and speed, and the next likely moves in the game. She is acutely aware of where each player is positioned and what their likely responses will be to each play. This allows her to ensure she is correctly positioned and mentally focused for whatever situation arises.
TOTAL FOCUS
Another key concentration technique is to focus exclusively on the game at hand, while deliberately excluding everything else -- the crowd, the noises, the lights -- from your consciousness. Successfully using this technique makes it possible for some players to be "in the moment" throughout the game, not just during key plays. This intense focus allows players to filter out all but the necessary elements of the game without being distracted by external stimuli.
PRACTICING CONCENTRATION SKILLS
Volleyball players can hone their concentration skills through drills, much as they practice setting or spiking skills. Certain fast-paced drills, such as pepper, require total focus on the ball and the activity at hand; doing them at an increasingly faster pace and for longer periods of time improves a player's ability to concentrate only on the game. Others will use a form of "time out" prior to a game. They will remove themselves mentally from their surroundings by techniques such as closing their eyes, isolating themselves from everyone else, or listening to personal music players, for example. By recreating these focused environments on the court, they can remain concentrated throughout the game.

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When to Spike a Volleyball?

Spiking a volleyball is all about power and timing. It is difficult to have an effective spike when you are lacking one of those two main elements. Timing is perhaps even more important because you can directly cost your team points by hitting the ball into the net or out of bounds.
Step 1
Time your jump so that you reach the volleyball at its peak. This will give you the best chance to spike the ball for a kill. Volleyball players typically use a two, three or four-step approach when spiking, so practice with each to see which is comfortable and helps you reach the ball at the highest point.
Step 2
Jump from behind the ball, using a broad jump rather than a straight vertical leap. A broad jump will use your momentum to take you toward the net, which will help you reach the ball at a point where you can spike the ball downward.
Step 3
Practice with your setter. You may not have the setter every time, but if you can develop consistency with your setter, you will be able to focus on your mechanics with the understanding that the ball is going to be where you like it. If you are timing your jump for a set that is high and outside and the set is not there, your spike will not be as successful as you hope.

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How to Reduce Arm Pain in Volleyball?

Indoor, grass and beach volleyball is an exciting sport and effective workout. This team sport does not require top athletic conditioning but does make use of several body muscle groups as volleying, hitting and spiking the ball involves jumping and lunging. Volleyball also requires maneuvering and hitting the ball forcefully with the hands and forearms. This can lead to sore and reddened arms. However, using correct body positioning techniques can help decrease sore arms and improve your volleyball game.
Step 1
Wear protective wrist padding on both wrists. Wrist pads for volleyball are lightly padded elastic terrycloth bands that provide a buffer between the bony areas of your wrist and the volleyball. Stretch your arms, shoulders and legs to warm up your muscles before beginning a game of volleyball.
Step 2
Bend your knees into a crouch before lunging upward to hit or spike the ball. Hold your arms low and behind you as you jump to get more height. Raise your arms to hit the ball as you reach the top of your jump. This helps to propel your body upward and hit the ball with force from your entire body, not just your arm and hand strength.
Step 3
Hold your non-dominant hand in front of you and your dominant hand behind your head as you prepare to spike the volleyball with one hand. Swing your dominant hand straight out to hit the ball. Your non-dominant hand helps to balance your body. Holding your other hand behind you, give it more momentum as you reach out to hit the ball. After spiking or hitting the ball, bring your hand straight down. Letting your arm go across your body can injure your arm or shoulder.

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4 Ways to Hit Hard in Volleyball

Hitting harder in volleyball allows you to crush the ball, "hitting your opponents off the court," notes two-time NCAA champion Seth Burnham in a training video on the online site Volleyball 1 on 1. You can launch your hard hit of the set from the front row or make a run from the back row. Either way, your setter is likely to pop the ball up just inside the net around its middle or center point. From the middle, you enjoy a view of the best angle to avoid blocks and to find an open section of the opponent's side of the court.
Step 1
Speed your arm swing to its maximum. Polish your technique so you maximize your power on the hit. Throw a volleyball to your partner to begin. Employ a baseball outfielder technique, advises coach Pete Waite in "Aggressive Volleyball." Draw your throwing arm back, raise your opposite arm high and in front of body, step forward with your opposite leg to your throwing arm, open the hips and shoulders and close them as part of your follow-through.
Step 2
Increase the natural whip of your arm farther by throwing tennis balls down at the top of your jump in front of the net. Take advantage as you increase your arm speed of the lighter weight of the tennis ball compared to a volleyball. And stand at one end of the gym and throw a volleyball as far as you can, focusing on how quickly you can whip your arm on the throw.
Step 3
Extend your shoulder and elbow with power, extend your jump as high as possible and rotate your shoulder and torso to generate a strong hit on the ball, recommends UCLA coach Allen E. Scates in "Complete Conditioning for Volleyball." Scates advises a total-body strength program improves your jumping and rotation. Gradually increase the weights for your workout, which can include squats, lunges, hang cleans, hang snatches and power cleans. Include plyometric elements such as box jumps or running up stadium stairs.
Step 4
Wrap one end of a bungee cord with handles around the volleyball net post for a drill to increase your arm strength. Face away from the post with the handle in your hand, with your elbow bent at 90 degrees and your hand higher than your head. Extend your forearm rapidly in a motion as swift as a boxer on a speed bag, Burnham suggests. Perform eight sets of 25 as hard and quickly as possible. Switch arms to keep your triceps muscles balanced so you can hit a ball just as hard with your less-dominant hand. Work up using a thicker bungee cord and to 50 repetitions to emphasize triceps strength and fast-twitch muscle fiber development.

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Posted in: Volleyball